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Larose teen pleads guilty to manslaughter

Larose teen pleads guilty to manslaughter

A Larose teenager accused of shooting another youth in what was described as a game of Russian roulette pled guilty as charged to manslaughter Wednesday afternoon.

Dejon Caine was charged with the killing of Christopher Morris, 17, on October 22, 2016.

Caine was one of a group of teenagers, which also included the victim, who were playing with a rusty .38 revolver when the killing occurred.

Caine, who was also 17 at the time of the shooting, gave a statement to law enforcement and admitted to the killing, claiming that the shooting was accidental. The youths were allegedly pulling the trigger of the revolver at random before Caine took possession of the firearm. He contended that he did not know the gun would discharge when he pointed it at Morris and pulled the trigger.

His statement regarding the game was corroborated by other participants.

“This truly was a senseless crime,” said District Attorney Kristine Russell. “Firearms demand respect, and the recklessness of this killing demonstrates that. Hopefully, this sentence will send a message to the youth of our community that there is a serious consequence for this kind of irresponsible behavior.

“It’s just a tragic case, any way you look at it.”

Caine was sentenced to five years in prison by the Hon. Walter I. Lanier, III. Caine was facing a maximum sentence of up to forty years in prison if convicted.

“This was an avoidable tragedy,” said Assistant District Attorney Jason Chatagnier, who prosecuted the case. “It shows the harsh reality of irresponsible gun use. A young man is dead, and his friend will spend time in prison, all over a game.”